Shoulder-brace corset



(No Model.)

A. J. BOBBS.

SHOULDER BRAGE CORSET.

Patented July 15, 1890.

ii'q' a 3.

IN VENTOH aiizflvw 11130536,

WITNESSES r By A TTOH/VE Y8 UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDBEIV J. HOBBS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SHOU LDER-BRACE CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,363, dated July 15, 1890.

Application filed March 12, 1890. Serial No. 343,678. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW J. Bones, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oorset-l3races, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to corset-braces for either sex, or braces which serve to strengthen and support the body, and especially the back, abdomen, and shoulders, by holding them true and erect, and at the same time serves to suspend the trousers or other garments.

Corset-braces have heretofore been made with a broad back-piece with arm-loops at the top, a waist-belt at the lower edge, suspenderstraps n car the bottom of the back-piece, and Suspender-straps fastened to the front portion of the ar1n-loops. This connection of the front Suspender-straps to the front of armloops I have found very objectionable, for the reason that the downward pull displaces the arm-loops and defeats their use to alarge extent in holdingthe shoulders back, and also causes a chafing and binding against the front of the body, and, furthermore, tends to hold the body bent forward in a bowed position.

My invention consists in corset-braces having a broad stiff back-piece with elastic armloops at the top, a waist-belt at the bottom, and suspender-straps attached to the sides of the back-piece about the middle thereof and just behind the arms, which Suspender-straps are adapted to pass underneath the arms on each side in an oblique position along the loins for connection with the trousers 011 each side near the front, whereby the awkward strain on the arnrloops of this kind of corset-brace is relieved and the strain of the trousers is brought to bear on the back-piece of the brace about its middle, where it co-operates to render the corset-brace more effective for the purposes for which it is intended.

My invention also consists in the special construction of the arm-loops, which embody the principles of an air or water cushion, as hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is a rear view of the corset-brace, shown applied to the back of a man. Fig. 2 is a modification of the fastening for the waistbelt. Fig. 3 isadetail view of one of the armloops, and Fig. iis a cross-section through the same, taken on line 00 a; of Fig. 3.

mediate section 2.

In the drawings,A represent-s abroad backpiece extending from the waist to the shoulders and stiffened by stays 7 7, of whalebone or steel. To the upper portion of the backpiece on each side are attached the arm-loops composed each of sections 4 4 and the inter- The sections 4 are made in whole or part of elastic webbing, while the section 2, which passes under the armpits and in front of the shoulders, is made of a hollow elastic rubber tube, (see Fig. 4,) which is closed at each end and forms an air or water cushion. This forms a very soft, pliable, and lasting pad under the arms, that does not collapse, shrink, and roll up from bein grepeatedly wet with perspiration, but always maintains its shape and efficiency in spite of the wetting to which its position renders it unavoidably subjected. The lower ends of the arm-loops are connected by buckles to a cross-strap 9, extending across the middle of the back-piece, by which connections the loops may be increased or diminished in size to suit the size and comfort of the wearer. At the lower edge of the back-piece there is formed a waist-belt adapted to be fastened about the waist in front. This belt has elastic sections 5 in its length, and is fastened in front by a buckle. hen intended for female use, this beltis made much wider, being about six inches, (more or less,) and in such case the front fastening is constructed, as shown in Fig. 2, with the ends of the belt-section terminating the one in one tail or tongue and the other in two tails or tongues, which when brought together lap past and alternate with each other to make a close-fitting and secure fastening that may be adjusted as tight as desired. The tails or tongues are fastened to buckles, as shown, or by hooks and eyes or other well-known means.

To the middle of the back-piece A and just behind the armpits are attached the suspender-straps 1, which when secured to the trousers extend diagonally forward and downward under the arms and connect with the trousers upon the sides near the front, so that the strain of the trousers is transmitted directly to the back-piece, where it helps to sup'-. port the back without cramping or binding any of the parts of the body, leaving the shoulders free and unobstructed, without interfering with the action of the brace in holding the shoulders back to their proper positions.

To the middle lower portion of the backpiece are attached the rear suspender-straps 3 3, and, if desired, the back-piece may be perforated with rows of holes, as shown, to give better ventilation along the spine.

I am aware that it is not new to construct suspenders with arm-loops and side straps which support the trousers and connect with the suspenders behind the arms; but there was in this case no back-piece stiifened by stays to form a corset, as in my case, in which combination of parts the stiifened back-piece serves the double purpose of distributing the strain of the trousers along the back, and also of bracing and strengthening the back. I am also aware that hollow gum tubes have been grouped to form the body part of suspenders; but in my case the hollow air-tubes have only a special application in the form of an air-pad that passes under the armpit, in which relation it has special values and functions, as before described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A corset-brace having a back-piece A, stiffened with vertical stays 7 7 and provided with arm-loops at its upper end,and suspenderstraps 1 1, attached to the side edges of the back-piece near the middle of the same and arranged to extend diagonally downward to support the trousers 011 the sides, substantially as shown and described.

2. A body-brace having a back-piece provided with arm-loops at its upper end, having that portion thereof which lies in front of and beneath the'the armpits made of elastic water-proof tubing, formingan elastic air-cushion adapted to preserve its shape and flexibility and at the same time forming an elastic arm-loop, substantially as shown and described.

ANDREW J. HOBBS.

\Vitnesses:

EDWARD REeToR, CHARLES BILLON. 

